Meet the Author

The FermentedlyChallenged blog has been retired since the end of October 2016. It has been a great 9 year run. Thanks to all the readers and brewery staff for all your support in the past. I'm living in the Denver metro area and working in the Cable TV industry now. Cheers and enjoy beer responsibly. Follow along on social media - @ChipperDave on Twitter and on Facebook.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Today is Instant Coffee Day. Back on this day in 1938, the first instant coffee was introduced. And so dawned the trend of getting everything in life faster. Granted, instant coffee isn't the best coffee, but you can make it faster. And if you love coffee, you might wish to try a coffee beer today. You'll be surprised how good one can be. It can be found in many different styles of beer - not just stouts. Here's what's happening around the Colorado beerosphere today Wednesday, July 24th, 2013. If you aren't reading this article on FermentedlyChallenged.com, you don't know what you're missing.

Metro Denver

GABF Ticket Sales (Denver) - Did you get shut out on Great American Beer Festival tickets last year? Don't get shut out again this year. Plan to get online and buy your tickets the moment they go on sale. This year AHA Members can buy tickets on Tuesday, July 30th at 10:00am MDT. Then on Wednesday, July 31st at 10:00am MDT General Public tickets go on sale. Tickets will only be available via Ticketmaster.com - so get one step ahead and set up a Ticketmaster account ahead of time and then save time when you go to grab tickets. Here's the official "Purchase Tickets" link on the GABF website. Start clicking at 10:00am on July 30th and 31st and good luck! Expect tickets to disappear within the first 40 minutes or less.

Copper Kettle Brewing Company (Denver) - Wednesdays mean a new firkin at CKBC and today's firkin is a "Peach Saison". It's part of their July Fresh Fruit Cask Month. This beer is in limited supply, just 10 gallons, and will tap at 3:00pm. They will also have a food truck on hand starting at 5:00pm.Lone Tree Brewing Co (Lone Tree) - New beer alert! A new beer went on tap today at 12 noon - Bier de Mariage (the Wedding beer). Stop in to try this brew out and pair it with Joe's Bistro Cuisine this afternoon.

Beer By Design Brewery (Northglenn) - On Wednesdays from now through August 15th, 2013 if you buy 2 pints of their beer you will receive a FREE Beer By Design pint glass (while supplies last).

Arvada Beer Company (Arvada) - On Thursday, July 25th, Arvada Beer will be releasing another Brewers Limited Reserve beer - Cherry Pilsner. It taps at 2pm. Just 10 gallons of it then it's gone.

Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew (Denver) - The brew is back. Now on tap - Larimer Street Lager. Grab one with some food from Pride of Philly Cheesesteaks who starts serving at 6:30pm.

Wit's End Brewing / Renegade Brewing (Denver) - Just one keg left of their collaborative beer - Judge Whoppner - an imperial brown ale made with malted milk. They will tap the last keg at Renegade Publik House in Denver tonight at 6:00pm. This keg will drain fast and they may not make this beer again for a while so get there quick.

Black Shirt Brewing (Denver) - The owners want their patrons to know that parking has changed on their block - please use the paved lot directly behind the brewery accessed through the alley. When leaving, please exit by heading south in the alley onto Downing St as the north exit is a blind and dangerous intersection. Be safe and always bring a designated driver.

That Brewery on Zuni (Denver) - That brewery, aka Strange, is having a One Barrel Wednesday today and is tapping their Belgian Porter. This brew has notes of dark chocolate and coffee that are offset by the fruitiness of the Belgian yeast.

Boulder County

The Very Nice Brewing Co (Nederland) - Today the brewery announced a partnership with Safehouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence. In 2-3 weeks they plan on tapping their first charity beer. They will be donating $1 for each pint of their brand new premium IPA, "Make it SO" Earl Grey IPA. Please check Safehouse out at www.safehousealliance.org.

FATE Brewing Co (Boulder) - Today's Wednesday cask tap is a "Vanilla Bean Stout". This one weighs in at 7% ABV. Get Happy Hour prices all night long tonight.

Northern Colorado

Loveland Aleworks (Loveland) - The brewery was informed by the Brewers Association that they WILL be on the list for pouring beers at the 2013 GABF this year. They are off the waiting list. Unfortunately, they missed out on being able to submit beers for judging this year. They are brewing up a batch of Abbey Grand Cru today just to celebrate.

Funkwerks (Ft. Collins) - Secret Sixtel - (Tropic King removed from the fermentor and dry hopped with Calypso hops instead of Rakau hops) - is still available in the taproom. This beer will not be listed on their tap board or the menu so you'll have to ask your server for the Secret Sixtel! Tell em Fermentedly Challenged sent ya.

High Hops Brewery (Windsor) - Plenty happening at High Hops this week. Today's firkin iw M.V.P. Maddie's Vanilla Cream Ale, taps at 5pm. Food available from Peace Pizza. On Thursday, it's Open Mic Night from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Food from Chaulkboard Gourmet Express. On Friday, Live music from County 11 6-8pm and food from Bedrock BBQ at 5pm. Saturday brings live music from Travis Hule from 5-7pm and food from Chaulkboard Gourmet Express. They are open at noon every day this summer! Come watch the hops grow and enjoy the sunset views from their patio.

Pateros Creek Brewing (Ft. Collins) - Tonight at 6pm they've got a Cornhole tournament going on at the brewery. Come see who will win the coveted "Cache La Maize" Cup and maybe throw a few bags yourself. Also, don't forget to start signing up for a fall league that will be happening on Sunday's this fall!

The Bikes & Beer Radio Show (Ft. Collins) - Tune in at 6:00pm to 7:00pm this evening for another installment of Bikes & Beer Radio Show on 88.9FM KRFC. For the beer enthusiast they will have Grady Hull Assistant Brewmaster from New Belgium and for the bike enthusiast they have a couple of ladies from the Fort Collins Follies & for everything in between you will have Aaron LaVanchy and Justin Patt.

Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - Something to look forward to. Jeff, owner of Tap 'n' Handle, is collaborating with Verboten on an Imperial Red ale that they will then stick in a Bushmills whiskey barrel for several months until it hits perfection! Stay tuned for word on this one.

Southern Front Range

Rocky Mountain Brewery (Colorado Springs) - Dark beer lovers and wheat beer lovers unite! The "Schwaze Katze" is back! A wheat beer that with a roasty note to it. Come visit the brewery and try some while it is there.

Meet The Brewer Night (Colorado Springs) - Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 8th at 7:00pm at Front Range BBQ. Focus on the Beer (blog) will be hosting a "Meet The Brewer Night" - this time featuring Renegade Brewing's brewmaster Ali Benetka. Ali is one of two female head brewers in Colorado. She will be bringing in 6 different beers for people to try (pay per pint) including: 5:00 Afternoon Ale, Redacted Rye IPA, Una Mas Poblano Mexican Amber, Elevation Triple IPA, Hammer and Sickle Russian Imperial Stout, and TBA Wheat Wine.

Mountains and West

Bonfire Brewing (Eagle) - A big batch of "Man of the Cliff" Wood Splitter Pilsner is now busy fermenting away, dreaming of the day it gets to drip down hundreds of glorious beards at Mango's Mountain Grill in Red Cliff. This will be available in 16oz cans and will hit shelves in Colorado early September and will also be at the competition September 28 and 29.

Dillon Dam Brewery (Dillon) - Come up to Dillon for live music by Wonderlic this Thursday night at 9:30pm. Thursday is also Girl's Night Out - ladies get FREE 1/2 pints from 9-11pm and guys pints are just $2.75 from 9:30pm to close. Also, on Fridays & Saturdays they'll be serving burgers up until 10:30pm.

Copper Club Brewing (Fruita) - Tonight is Wednesday Game Night at the brewery starting at 6pm. Come play darts, scrabble, battleship or whatever game you wish to bring along and share with your friends. Come make new friends!
_____________________________________________________________________

Catch up on Colorado Beer News from earlier this week:Monday | Tuesday

Live Music in the Taproom - Beer and music go great together and many Colorado breweries and top watering holes offer live entertainment every day. Check out the Colorado Brewery Music Listings and find out who's playing at your favorite brewery or beer bar. Updated daily.

Colorado Beer News is published on Fermentedly Challenged daily (Monday through Friday) with craft beer stories as they break from newsletters, emails and social media sites. This news is intended for audiences of legal drinking age (21+). If you'd like to subscribe to this daily by email, sign-up here. Please, always drink responsibly and use a designated driver.